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Govt staff yet to receive salary
To identify martyrs, govt to
tie up with British Library
Govt to review property tax rates
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We’ll support whoever BJP names from
Amritsar: SAD
Akali Dal leaders present a sword to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal during a rally in Mohali on Tuesday. Tribune photo
Politics at play over state funds for Moga villages
SAD loath to rein in youth brigade
Can’t spend huge money on rallies: AAP’s Gandhi
Bhagwant meets Kejri in Delhi, joins AAP
Malwinder: Will oppose Preneet as well as Rakhra
Malwinder Singh. Tribune file photograph AAP’s Gandhi to
hold three roadshows Session curtailed, Cong fumes
Bhullar case: Dal Khalsa slams Centre
House pays tributes to Ajnala martyrs
College employees hold rally
Bureaucrats pull a quick one in Gurdaspur to beat EC deadline
Hoshiarpur locality faces demolition, residents protest
IMA’s state chapter seeks quashing of case against doc
Restoration of Jhaji Haveli moves at snail’s pace
Indo-Canadian is Miss Canada
Longowal’s assassination: 30 years on, HC upholds cops’ reinstatement
Abohar man kills daughter over illicit relation
Prime accused Kinda surrenders to police
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Govt staff yet to receive salary
Chandigarh, March 4 Sources in the Finance Department told The Tribune that only Class IV and some Class III employees had received salaries. The remaining employees — all Class I, II and most of Class III — are yet to be paid. Even medical bills, travelling allowance bills, loans against provident fund etc amounting to hundreds of crores have been kept pending. The average salary bill of the state government is Rs 1,250 crore per month. This is not the first time in this financial year that the government has faltered on the payment of salaries. Considering the precarious fiscal health of Punjab, employees have not got their salaries on time for at least three months this financial year. Punjab’s debt is expected to reach Rs 1,02,282 crore by end of this fiscal. The state’s revenue growth also stands at a slow 13.7 per cent . The reason for the delay, say Finance Department officials, is the ongoing strike by the ministerial staff, which began on February 24. Since the ministerial staff is posted in all treasuries, they have refused to accept salary bills from state government departments. Only those departments that had submitted their salary bills by February 21 were released funds on time. The ministerial staff has been demanding removal of anomalies in pay scales of all categories. In case the strike is called off tomorrow (as was announced by the striking employees), the bills will be cleared on February 6 and the salaries will be credited only on February 7. The sources said the state had already availed Rs 450 crore as advances. As of January 31, Punjab’s revenue receipts are Rs 27,490 crore as compared to Rs 24,160 crore as on January 31, 2013. The revenue deficit this year (till January 31) is Rs 3,160 crore against Rs 4,860 crore in January 2013. The same is expected to be around Rs 6,000 crore by the end of this year as the state has to pay arrears to its employees and 8 per cent DA announced in October last year, besides clearing the 10 per cent DA for January-June 2013. Not the first time * The average salary bill of the state government is Rs 1,250 crore per month *
This is not the first time in this financial year that the government has faltered on payment of salaries *
The employees have not got their salaries on time for at least three months *
Punjab's debt is expected to reach Rs 1,02,282 crore by end of this fiscal *
Sources said the state had already availed Rs 450 crore as advances
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To identify martyrs, govt to
tie up with British Library
Amritsar, March 4 Senior government officials, including Dr Navjotpal Singh Randhawa, Director, Cultural Affairs, Museums, Archives and Archaeology, and R. Venkataratanam, Divisional Commissioner, today visited the historic site. Dr Randhawa said: "Ancient coins recovered from the well have made it evident that the mortal remains belong to the soldiers who were a part of the 1857 uprising." He, however, said they would still like to ascertain the identity of all the 282 martyrs for which their department would tie up with British Library to access relevant documents. On some historians' view about preserving the mortal remains, he said those involved in the excavation were in favour of performing the last rites and their sentiments should be considered while taking any decision in this regard. Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, who also accompanied the officials, said they had already initiated a drive to search for relevant records. "We've started looking for records in the office of the Divisional Commissioner as well as my own office in Amritsar," he said. On residents' demand to raise a memorial, he said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had already promised the same. The details would be worked out in due course of time, he added. Surinder Kochhar, a researcher, said the administration had asked them to identify a site for performing the last rites of the martyrs. He said they found another five gold beads from the historic site today. Meanwhile, the management committee of Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj has exhibited the mortal remains in glass cabins on the gurdwara premises to enable the people to pay respects to the martyrs.
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Govt to review property tax rates
Chandigarh, March 4 A decision to this effect was taken after a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi. Disclosing this, an official spokesman said the committee would examine the tariff for rented, self-occupied and commercial areas, besides reviewing the collector rate in various districts. The spokesman said feedback taken from the field would be considered in the review exercise. He said the committee would also decide on the effective date for implementation of the revised tariff.
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We’ll support whoever BJP names from Amritsar: SAD
Ludhiana/Mohali, March 4 In the city to lay the foundation stone of a combined water treatment plant at Taj Pur Road, Sukhbir was replying to a query whether the Akali Dal would back Sidhu. On the probable candidates from Amritsar, he said, “It is for the BJP to decide. The SAD will support whosoever is nominated by our alliance partner… If Sidhu gets the ticket, we will support him too.” The cricketer-turned-politician has been at loggerheads with Sukhbir over his pet projects in the holy city. The SAD president said the party would not contest any Lok Sabha seat outside Punjab. The party had recently contested four seats on its symbol in the Delhi Assembly elections. He said candidates for the remaining seats in Punjab had been short-listed and would be announced soon. On rebel Akali leader and MLA Simarjit Singh Bains likely to contest as an Independent from Ludhiana, he said, “Manpreet Singh Ayali is the Akali Dal choice… Simarjit fought as an Independent in the Vidhan Sabha elections as well and it is up to him to do so again now.” Addressing a rally at Balongi village in Mohali, Sukhbir claimed the SAD-BJP alliance was confident of winning all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. “We will win all the seats on the basis of all-round development in the state,” he said. Sukhbir said the government would spend around Rs 2,500 crore on various development works in Mohali. “If the BJP forms the government at the Centre, all our dreams of ‘Progressing Punjab’ will be fulfilled,” he said. Though the event was termed as ‘Akali Dal Youth Rally’, hardly any youngster was visible in the ‘pandal’. Most of the participants were either middle-aged persons or elderly people.
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Politics at play over state funds for Moga villages
Moga, March 4 In the past few days, the district administration has distributed crores of rupees under various heads to village panchayats for development works. But sarpanches loyal to the Congress have alleged that the administration had violated the spirit of the Panchayati Raj Act. “The administration has not given money to panchayats and, instead, handed over the grant cheques to the respective Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs),” Congress district president Darshan Singh Brar alleged. And to make matters worse, the BDPOs have not released the grants. Investigation by The Tribune showed that the BDPOs have held back the grants meant for Congress strongholds — Dosanj, Longiwind, Rauli, Jalalabad (East), Daata, Kamalke and Khote, among other, villages — thus undermining the position of elected panchayats. “I am an elected sarpanch, but a grant of Rs 4 lakh under the Cattle Fairs (Regulation) Act meant for my village has been given to the BDPO because I am loyal to the Congress,” Daata village sarpanch Gurinder Singh Guggu alleged. District Magistrate Arshdip Singh Thind evaded a reply on the matter. All he said was he was unaware of the bias against the Congress stronghold panchayats. “I will ask the District Development and Panchayat Officer to look into it,” he said. According to official records, the Rural Development and Panchayat Department has distributed grants to more than 200 villages in the district in the past few days. The majority of the beneficiaries have been villages, who saparnches are Akali loyalists. A sum of Rs 68.37 lakh has been released under the Cattle Fairs (Regulation) Act to 32 villages in the Dharamkot sub- division for repair or construction of streets, dharamshalas, sewerage lines. A sum of Rs 2.14 crore has been released under the rural development funds, Rs 39 lakh for Dalit settlements in Kot-Ise-Khan block, Rs 41.5 lakh for sports clubs in Dharamkot sub-division, Rs 44.16 lakh under the planning board funds, Rs 42.5 lakh under the ministers’ quota in Moga and Baghapurana sub-divisions, Rs 1.52 crore under the cattle fair regulation act to 35 villages, an official in the local administration said. Besides, the district administration is busy completing several projects under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme. Violating norms *
The administration has not given money to village panchayats in Moga district and, instead, handed over the grant cheques to the respective Block Development and
Panchayat Officers * The BDPOs have held back grants meant for Congress stronghold villages, thus undermining the position of elected panchayats *
Sarpanches loyal to the Congress allege that the administration has violated the Panchayati Raj Act
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SAD loath to rein in youth brigade
Chandigarh, March 4 Several recent incidents of YAD leaders taking law into their own hands have come as an embarrassment for the SAD. Yet the SAD seems unwilling to rein in the youth wing. Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal said, “We are not enrolling any member who has a shady past. Each person wishing to join the party has to undergo a thorough scanning for any past criminal record… But if any member resorts to any kind of violence to settle his business or personal scores, the party cannot be held accountable or accused of shielding criminals.” The Congress alleges that the Akali Dal has deliberately gathered ruffians so as to use them against the Opposition leaders during the Lok Sabha elections. The party plans to raise the issue in the Vidhan Sabha tomorrow. The names of several youth wing leaders have figured in criminal cases, including murder, extortion, drug smuggling and land grab. Last month, YAD leader Yadwinder Singh Yadu allegedly shot at and killed a youth in Khanna. Its activists have also been arrested for the shootout at a market in Sarabha Nagar in Ludhiana last week. The incident --- property dispute is stated to be the trigger --- left a youth dead. In yet another incident in Ludhiana, another YAD leader was involved in a shootout near a prominent gurdwara. One person was injured. These incidents have been occurring despite the SAD president’s claim that a background check was done on each member before being enrolled in the outfit. During the previous tenure of the SAD-BJP government (2007-12), the SAD-backed Student Organisation of India had assumed unconstitutional authority and its leaders were indulging in unlawful activities. An embarrassed SAD leadership was then forced to distance itself from SOI. It instructed all district administrations not to entertain the student body and to pull down all hoardings glorifying these leaders. The Akali leadership then thought of reviving the YAD. After initial problems in the youth wing, which was led by leaders who were far from being young, a new set of leaders was put in place under the patronage of Bikram Singh Majithia, now Revenue Minister. But of late, the YAD seems to be going the SOI way. Law unto themselves *
The names of several YAD leaders have figured in cases of murder, extortion, drug smuggling and land grab *
In February, YAD leader Yadwinder Singh Yadu allegedly killed a youth in Khanna *
Last week, rival YAD factions fired at each other in Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana. One person was killed *
A day later in Ludhiana again, another YAD leader fired outside a gurdwara
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Can’t spend huge money on rallies: AAP’s Gandhi
Patiala, March 4 The party is planning to hold three road shows covering various cities, towns and rural areas to reach out to maximum number of people. The first road show would be held in Ghanaur, Rajpura and Banur on March 7. Party president Arvind Kejriwal and other senior leaders will also visit Patiala later this month to address political gatherings in the city, Rajpura and Samana. After inaugurating AAP’s new office today, Dr Gandhi said: “Our main focus will be on holding mohalla (locality) gatherings. We will meet students and other employees outside their respective colleges, universities and institutions apprising them of our party ideologies”. Gandhi not his real name While people know AAP's Patiala candidate as Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, his surname is not Gandhi. His real name is Dr Dharamvir Bulha. His classmates at Government Medical College, Amritsar, started calling him Gandhi since according to them he was a "revolutionary".
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Bhagwant meets Kejri in Delhi, joins AAP
Chandigarh, March 4 Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Mann said on his return to Punjab tomorrow, he would start working as an AAP activist. He said the AAP leadership had told him that it was considering Punjab as one of the important states and would soon visit there to launch a full-fledged campaign. “The AAP leadership is satisfied with the response from Punjab as far as its membership drive is concerned,” said Mann. “I have an understanding that AAP would hold a major rally in Punjab either during Hola Mohalla festival at Anandpur Sahib or on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh on March 23,” Mann said. He said it was expected that the AAP leadership would declare candidates for the remaining Lok Sabha seats in the state by March 13. Mann had resigned from the People’s Party of Punjab yesterday. PPP insiders said efforts were made to persuade Mann not to quit the party. They said some PPP sympathisers had visited Mann at his residence in Mohali to urge him to reconsider his decision to quit. Revolt brewing Sangrur: A revolt is brewing in the Sangrur district unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with its members opposed to comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann being allotted the party ticket for the Sangrur parliamentary seat. The district unit is against a parachute candidate and has sent an SMS to the party high command on the issue. It is of the opinion that any leader from another party joining AAP should not be fielded by the party, said district convener Dr AS Mann. —TNS
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Malwinder: Will oppose Preneet as well as Rakhra
Patiala, March 4 Malwinder Singh claimed when he joined the SAD during the assembly elections, he was assured by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that he would be allotted the SAD ticket from Patiala. But he had not been contacted on the issue so far. He alleged he was denied the Congress ticket for the Samana assembly seat at Preneet Kaur's behest who secured the ticket for her son Raninder Singh.The latter was defeated by Rakhra. Malwinder said he would surely help former Congress man Deepinder Dhillon if he was given the SAD ticket. Describing Dhillon an upright man, he said: “People do not know him beyond the Rajpura and Dera Bassi assembly segments. Hence, I am ready to help him, if approached.” Accusing Rakhra of back-stabbing him, Malwinder said: “I supported Rakhra wholeheartedly against my nephew and he won. He promised three things to my supporters but failed to keep his word.”
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AAP’s
Gandhi to hold three roadshows Patiala, March 4 The party plans to hold three roadshows to reach out to the masses. The first one will be held in Ghanaur, Rajpura and Banur on March 7. Party president Arvind Kejriwal and other senior leaders will visit Patiala later this month to address election rallies in Patiala, Rajpura and Samana. At the inauguration of AAP’s new office today, Dr Gandhi said: “We focus on mohalla (locality) gatherings. We will meet students outside their colleges and universities”. How he became Gandhi While people know AAP's Patiala candidate as Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, his surname is not Gandhi. His real name is Dr Dharamvir Bulha. His classmates at Government Medical College, Amritsar, started calling him Gandhi as they saw a "revolutionary" in him.
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Session curtailed, Cong fumes Chandigarh, March 4 The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Business Advisory Council said the session was being curtailed since the model code of conduct was expected to come into force any time now after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule. No legislative business can be transacted once the poll code is implemented. The Opposition Congress, however, trashed the Council’s reason. It said the ruling
SAD-BJP alliance was on the mat on account of three of its ministers -- Bikram
Majithia, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Anil Joshi - and was using the poll code as an excuse to curtail the session. The Congress has been demanding the removal of the three ministers as either their names or those of members of their family have figured in investigations being conducted by official agencies. Jagmohan Kang, who attended the meeting on behalf of CLP leader Sunil
Jakhar, is learnt to have asked the Speaker to ensure continuation of the session till March 11, as scheduled. “The government appears to be purposely avoiding seeing the Opposition (Congress) in the House for two days because they have no answers to our questions related to certain ministers and other issues such as the failure of the government on the development and fiscal front,” Kang said.
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SC/ST panel to probe suicide by principal
Ludhiana, March 4 Ranjit Singh's son Paramvir Singh had complained to the commission against police investigation in the case. Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Rajkumar Verka, Vice-Chairman, of the commission, said: "We will conduct an investigation and record the statements of the victim's relatives. We will also seek a time-bound police probe." Paramvir said a woman clerk's allegation that his father had made sexual advances towards her was baseless. He said his father had taught at a girls' school for nearly 20 years before he was made principal. "I have come to know that the clerk had an illicit affair with a schoolteacher, whose name is in the suicide note. When my father objected to their ties, she began hurling all kinds of allegations at my father. This drove him to suicide," alleged Paramvir. He said he did not wish to make the issue political (the suicide note mentions "MLA Dakha") but wanted the police to take action against those mentioned in the suicide note. Ranjit Singh's body was retrieved from the Sirhind Feeder Canal near Ahmedgarh yesterday.
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Bhullar case: Dal Khalsa slams Centre
Amritsar, March 4 The Dal Khalsa said this while referring to reports in a section of the media, which indicated that the Union Home Ministry had decided to oppose the commutation of the death sentence notwithstanding Bhullar’s poor health.
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House pays tributes to Ajnala martyrs
Chandigarh, March 4 The members observed a two-minute silence in memory of Harbans Lal, a former Speaker, Harbhajan Singh
Mansahian, a former minister, Achhra Singh, a former MLA, Inderjit Singh and Baba Daya Singh Sursingh, head of the Nihang Jathebandi. Tributes were also paid to writers Talwinder Singh and Pritam, dramatist Dr Charan Dass Sidhu, poet Devneet, journalist Santosh Kumar Acharya and 16 freedom fighters. The House session lasted 11 minutes.
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College employees hold rally
Ludhiana March 4 Madan Lal Khullar, union president, said the state government had granted pay parity to the non-teaching staff in private aided colleges with effect from September 1, 1978. A deputation had met several Cabinet Ministers. yet till date no action had been taken on their demands. He demanded arrears, revised grades, enhanced medical allowance, house rent, pension and gratuity for the employees. Rajiv Bhasin of Arya College threatened to step up the agitation.
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Bureaucrats pull a quick one in Gurdaspur to beat EC deadline
Gurdaspur, March 4 The work on the Rs 46-crore project, which has earned the sobriquet of controversy’s favourite child for the repeated delays and procedural wrangling for 13 years, started today in the presence of Deputy Commissoner (DC) Abhinav Trikha and other senior officers. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Punjab Government perceives the project as a “vote-spinning” one. And to cash in on the project, the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) and district administration officials removed all impediments in no time and floated the tenders for the construction work. The tender process was cleared in a few days following which work started on the five-storey building near the old DC’s office. The officials feared that a little delay would put the project on the back burner as the model code of conduct can come into force anytime now. According to rules, work on any government project can begin once the model code of conduct is in place; but, if construction starts before the code comes into force, the work can continue. At present, people in this district headquarters run from pillar to post to get their work done as government offices are scattered. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone for the DAC near the Animal Husbandry Complex in 2000. In 2006, then CM Capt Amarinder Singh re-laid the foundation stone at the same place, making a mockery of the venture. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal again laid the stone in December 2012 but, this time, at a new venue — near the DC’s present office. The DC justified the shifting of some offices out of the DAC. “The Civil Hospital is being shifted on the outskirts of the city. So it makes sense to shift the Civil Surgeon’s office there. The Fisheries Department is located near Hayat Nagar and it is easy for people to reach there. Moreover, the Public Health office has already got an office near the water works on the Batala road,” he said. Project on fast track *
The PUDA and district administration officials removed all impediments in no time and floated the tenders for the construction work *
The tender process was cleared in a few days following which work started on the
five-storey building.
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Hoshiarpur locality faces demolition, residents protest
Phagwara, March 4 The Improvement Trust plans to demolish 34 houses to pave the way for its South Avenue colony in 15.68 acres. The residents of ‘A class’ protested against the Trust decision. More than 100 residents will be affected. “The Trust has taken possession of 75 kanals and the possession of the rest 112 kanals is pending. It will act as per rules,” Trust chairperson, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Iqbal Singh Sandhu said. A resident, Dharmendra, said he had constructed a house from his hard-earned money. — OC
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IMA’s state chapter seeks quashing of case against doc
Hoshiarpur, March 4 On February 27, a boy was injured in a road accident. He later died in a hospital allegedly due to the negligence of Dr Dinesh Bansal, who operated on the injured. The IMA has demanded that the case against the accused doctor, Dr Dinesh Bansal, be quashed, else it would launch a state-level agitation. He has been booked under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “The police acted in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines issued in the case of Jacob Mathews,” Dr Rajender Sharma, senior vice-president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, said. As per the SC guidelines, an expert committee should enquire into the matter before lodging a case on the complaints of medical negligence, he said. “The demands action against erring police officials for violating the SC guidelines,” Dr Sharma added.
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Protesting teachers in Lambi cane-charged
Muktsar, March 4 The union activists, who seek regularisation of their services, have been protesting in Lambi for over a week. They say they have been working under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for the last 10 years. This afternoon a large number of police personnel placed barricades on the national highway in a bid to foil the protesters’ attempt to gherao the CM’s residence. But when they scaled the barricades, the police cane charged the protesters. Later, they blocked the national highway, seeking a meeting with the Chief Minister. Sources said a meeting with Badal was fixed. Union president Ajmer Singh said Meanwhile, the police also manhandled the agitating nurses, who also sought regularisation of their services, at Lambi. The police later intensified patrolling to avoid any such incident from occurring again.
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Restoration of Jhaji Haveli moves at snail’s pace
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 4 At present, only three masons and 14 labourers have been engaged by a Delhi-based company. Sources said going by the pace of the work, it would take few more years to restore the building to its old glory. The funds for the project are being provided by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Chakradhar Yadav, an expert in restoring heritage buildings, said the building was badly damaged. The nature of the work was such that they could not speed it up. He said before constructing any wall they had to dig the earth two to three feet to know the actual design of the wall. He said the walls of the building were 3-ft wide and were made of lime, brick powder and sand. He said such work took a lot of time. It would take a minimum of two years to complete the project, he added. The haveli belongs to Diwan Todar Mal, who had given a large number of gold coins to the then Governor of Sirhind Wazir Khan. Wazir had demanded gold coins in vertical shape equal to the size of land sought to perform the last rites of younger “sahibzadas” of Guru Gobind Singh. Todar Mal had parted with his savings and property to buy the land. The haveli had remained neglected for a long time. It had got mired in a controversy after a private trust claimed its ownership in September 2003. It was only after the matter was brought to the knowledge of Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal that the trust handed over the documents of the haveli to the SGPC in 2008. Earlier, UK-based Virsa Sambhal Organisation, headed by Harminder Kaur, in 2010 had assured the SGPC to provide help for the restoration work. But the organisation had left the project halfway. SGPC interim committee member Karnail Singh Panjoli said in the first phase they would strengthen the dilapidated structure from the base. He expressed satisfaction over the pace of work. He claimed the project would be completed within three to four months. The haveli belongs to Diwan Todar Mal, who had given a large number of gold coins to the then Governor of Sirhind Wazir Khan. Wazir had demanded gold coins in vertical shape equal to the size of land sought to perform the last rites of younger "sahibzadas" of Guru Gobind Singh. Todar Mal had parted with his savings and property to buy the land. Current state of affairs * A Delhi-based company has employed three masons and 14 labourers to restore the haveli *
The project is funded by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee *
Earlier, UK-based Virsa Sambhal Organisation had initiated the restoration work in 2010, but left it halfway *
Sources say going by the pace of the work, it will take few more years to restore the building *
In contrast, SGPC member Karnail Singh Panjoli claims the project will be completed within three to four months
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Indo-Canadian is Miss Canada
Canada, March 4 On Saturday, 18-year-old Priya Madaan competed against 18 other finalists from across Canada, held in her hometown Montreal. “I was so surprised when my name was called and they crowned me. It’s still such a shock to me. I can’t believe I’m Miss Canada,” said Madaan. She said she was proud of her accomplishment because she feels the competition is more about personality than beauty. “I learned more about the organisation and realised it’s a personality-based competition and it’s not based on beauty at all,” she said. “Being onstage is the greatest feeling in the world so I think I want to continue on doing more pageants later on, but this year I just want to focus on reigning my title as Miss Canada 2014,” she said. Madaan who is a high achiever in academics, also actively volunteers in the Heart and Stroke Foundation as well as the Canadian World Education Foundation. She is also part of the Punjabi Students Association. — sandhira.com
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Longowal’s assassination: 30 years on, HC upholds cops’ reinstatement
Chandigarh, March 4 Dismissing the appeals filed by the Punjab Government, the Division Bench of Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu also directed the government to pay within three months arrears to the two policemen, Superintendent of Police Jit Singh and Deputy Superintendent of Police Balwant Singh. Balwant Singh was deputed as in charge of security arrangements for Sant Harchand Singh Longowal on July 28, 1985. But the political leader was shot at Sherpur village in Sangrur on August 20, 1985. Balwant Singh immediately made arrangements to shift Longowal to a nearby hospital in Sangrur and even donated blood in an attempt to save his life. But he was dismissed from service on September 4, 1985, without even a show cause notice. An inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court Judge was, meanwhile, appointed in December1985. Balwant Singh and other police personnel were questioned before the commission exonerated them. Counsel Paramjit Singh Thiara had added that the commission in its report specifically stated that the respondents were not at fault. But they were “wrongly thrown out of service without any justification”, despite exoneration by the judicial commission. Balwant Singh also forwarded representations for an opportunity of hearing to present his case, but nothing was done compelling him to file a writ petition. In its reply, the state government asserted “on account of terrorism in the state, it was not possible to record statements etc”. After analysing the evidence on record, the Single Judge concluded that the state government was not justified in dispensing with the inquiry in the present case.
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Abohar man kills daughter over illicit relation
Abohar, March 4 The accused, Yaad Ram, of Ghallu village in Fazilka district, axed his 15-year-old daughter when she was asleep in their hut yesterday (Monday). He dumped the body in a field. A farmer spotted the body in the evening and informed the police. A post-examination was conducted in the local Civil Hospital. The body was cremated today after arresting the accused under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC. The accused is a native of Uttar Pardesh and was a daily-wage earner at a brick kiln in
Ghallu.
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Prime accused Kinda surrenders to police
Ludhiana, March 4 Sources said a senior SAD leader had convinced Kinda, his cousin Jeevan and aides Arman Sidhu, Jasbir Singh, Palwinder Singh alias Palli to surrender. The gansters were grilled by the CIA staff. Commissioner of Police Paramjit Singh Gill said eight more persons, Gurpreet Singh aka Mintu, Berinder Singh, Sukhwinder Singh alias Sona, Lovepreet Singh Raja, Gurdeep Singh aka Deepa, Harleen alias Harry, Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha and Sukhpreet Singh alias Sheeru had been arrested. Weapons recovered
The Police Commissioner said the police had recovered two guns, a revolver, four pistols, a rifle and 11 live cartridges. Seven vehicles, including four sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and two motor cycles ( all with vanity numbers) had been impounded. The police had identified 35 persons involved in the shootout. Twentyfour of them had been nabbed so far. Sarabjit Singh aka Sarbi and Sandeep Singh alias Kaka Grewal, undergoing treatment at a private hospital, were discharged from hospital today. They were sent to police remand for a day. The Police Commissioner said Section 144 of the CrPC had been imposed in the city.
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Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal today said the party would support Navjot Singh Sidhu if the sitting MP was re-nominated by the BJP for the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.
Patiala, March 4
The police today cane charged a large number of Punjab Sikhya Provider Union activists, when they tried to gherao Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s residence at Lambi village.
Kulwinder Kumar alias Kinda, one of the prime accused in the Sarabha Nagar shootout, and his four accomplices surrendered before Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Satvir Atwal today.
Leaf from history